The role of intracoronary thrombolysis and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in evolving myocardial infarction.

Early reperfusion and interruption of the evolution of myocardial ischemia to necrosis can dramatically reduce the extent of myocardial damage and favorably influence the outcome of acute myocardial infarction. Intracoronary thrombolysis and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, alone or in combination, are an effective method of nonsurgical revascularization in selected patients. Potential applications of these methods, their advantages and disadvantages, and current available experience are discussed.